The focus of the laboratory is to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle hypertrophy. We are investigating, in collaboration with Dr. Peterson, of the College of Health Sciences here at the University of Kentucky, the compensatory mechanism that allows skeletal muscle to hypertrophy independent of satellite cells, the primary stem cell in adult skeletal muscle. We also have studies underway, in collaboration with Dr. Esser, investigating the regulation of ribosome biogenesis by beta-catenin/c-Myc signaling pathway and its importance in skeletal muscle hypertrophy. In addition to these studies, we are interested in the role that microRNAs have in skeletal muscle plasticity with a primary focus on muscle hypertrophy. More recently, we have begun to explore the role that ribosome specialization may have in adult skeletal muscle plasticity.